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Supporting the repeal of the Hall Income Tax

Supporting the repeal of the Hall Income Tax

Rep. Sheila Butt

I have a bill (HB2066) that would, in essence, delete the Hall Income Tax effective July 1. I would like very much to see that happen this year. Then we would be able to honestly say without hesitation that Tennessee does not have an income tax.

The Hall Income Tax is a tax on income derived from stocks and bonds. Numerous studies show that the tax impacts seniors and entrepreneurs the hardest because both groups rely more heavily on this type of income than others. Critics also call the Hall Tax a “secret” income tax that drives new capital investments away from Tennessee, and sends the wrong message to seniors looking to retire to Tennessee from other states.

That being said, much of the money from the Hall Tax goes to local communities and there is going to need to be a way to repeal the tax incrementally in order for communities to adjust. We are looking at legislation that will phase out the state portion of the Hall tax over a period of six years. The measure also includes provisions to ensure the phase out is done in a fiscally responsible manner. We will be hearing this legislation in the coming weeks.

School Bus

Legislation Not Moving Forward

A bill that would allow counties some discretion in replacing older school buses was sent back to the House Transportation Subcommittee, which generally means that it will not be advancing in the House this year. There has been a lot of controversy over whether school buses with over 200,000 miles are actually safe or “just broken in real good” according to a comment made by the Senate sponsor of the bill, Janice Bowling. Bowling also commented that her bill would allow school systems to come up with “their own time schedules” for how long a bus would be in service. Parents voiced concerns over the issue and it appears that is something that will be left for another session of the General Assembly.

Amelia’s Law

Overwhelmingly Passes House

Last Monday, legislation calling for stricter rules for repeat drug and alcohol offenders was overwhelmingly approved in the House of Representatives. House Bill 1759 — also known as “Amelia’s Law” — allows judges to require criminal offenders to wear a “transdermal monitoring device” if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in their crime. It is a device that can track alcohol or drug levels through a person’s skin.

The legislation is named after Amelia Keown, who died in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway near Maryville in 2012, while on her way home to pick up pom-poms for dance practice. She was 16 years old.

Records show the man who hit Amelia was out on parole and had a criminal record dating back to 1998. His sheet included aggravated robbery, multiple drugs offenses, fleeing and evading police, along with other charges. In addition, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation toxicology report showed the offender had methamphetamine and oxycodone in his system at the time of the accident.

Tennessee calling for a convention

of the states

Many of you know that I went in December to the Mount Vernon Assembly with legislators from 32 other states to discuss the possibility of calling for an Article V Convention of the States. While we were there, we discussed beginning the rule making for such a convention if it is called. We also looked at “Faithful Delegate” legislation that would put in place the parameters for each of the states’ delegates, with the inclusion of a felony penalty if a delegate fails to remain simply an ambassador for the Legislature and should vote without their direction.

Because most legislators realize that spending in Washington is out of control, SJR 493 passed in the Senate last week calling for a convention of the states to force a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In Tennessee, we balance our budget every year, and sometimes that is very difficult. Partly because of that, we have the lowest per capita debt in the United States. A balanced budget Amendment would mean that the federal government could not spend more money than it takes in.

The House version of this resolution was also approved in our State Government Committee last week. If passed, Tennessee would become the 22nd state calling for a convention in order to propose a balanced budget amendment.

Sen. Mike Bell, who also attended the Mount Vernon Assembly, expressed hope in the committee that there might not be an actual convention called. Many times in our history, when there has been a real possibility of a Convention of the States, Congress has decided to act before an actual convention was called. That could very well happen in this case. However, a Convention of the States is our Constitutional remedy to an over-reaching, out-of-control federal government, and I believe that the General Assembly will approve that option.

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